Copyright © 2016. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.

Ion Tiriac, owner of Madrid, has expressed concerns about the Madrid event having to keep paying equal prize money if there are further increases.

Repeating his sentiments from an interview with a Spanish publication a few days ago, he told the New York Times that he did not consider prize money should be equal if the women’s event brought in less than the men’s event.

“But I think we have to go and calculate how much money are the men putting on the table, and how much the women, with TV rights. Because otherwise we have to compensate, and compensate, and compensate, and you cannot compensate forever. For that reason, it s a beautiful sport, but I don t think the women can complain that they don t earn enough money,” he said.

“If the men give me 40 dollars from television, and the women give me seven dollars, it s not the same.”

Recent demands from the ATP players have led to prize money increases at the Masters events of 14 percent, part of which is paid by the tour but is still significantly less than what the players were requesting. The Romanian billionaire, who owns the Madrid event, said the tournament could not afford additional increases if the women had to receive similar amounts.

“If I increase the women s, too, I am broke and I don t know how to do a tennis event, he said.  And I have done a tennis event since the 60s.

“I have in excess of $11 million in prize money for both of them: almost $6 million for men and $6 million for women. And I cannot go like this forever. And everybody would understand this, at least.

Saying he was not opposed to paying the women the same or more if they generated as much income, the former ATP player turned businessman said he could see keeping prize money the same for the final few rounds.

“Maybe you have to pay the top four, from the semifinal and final, as much as the men. But maybe the rest are not so interesting, to pay them the same,” he said.

“Saying that they’re equal, they’re not equal. I mean, once again, I prefer a woman on the court, they are beautiful on the court. Even Federer, who is very elegant, I prefer an elegant woman, not Mr. Federer. But they are not bringing to the table the same thing.”

Copyright © 2016. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.